Lockdown lift: Your life is in your hands, literally

Monday May 4 was a watershed for millions of Nigerians trapped in a lockdown against coronavirus pandemic. Once again, many would get the freedoms denied them for almost five weeks.

Workers have been under “stay at home” orders, businesses categorised as “non-essential” have shut and families dependent on daily wage to put food on their table have felt the pinch more than any other category of Nigerians. The government has been under pressure to lift the lockdown.

In finally doing so, it drew up measures for a gradual easing that will span six weeks: every two weeks the impact of a lift will be reviewed and the restrictions adjusted accordingly.

The lift is a middle ground between preserving lives and preserving livelihoods.

By April 1, Nigeria had 174 confirmed cases of Covid-19. That was at the start of the lockdown, declared to trace some 5,000 people mostly scattered through Lagos, Abuja and Ogun. One month through the lockdown, 2,170 cases have been confirmed, nearly a 2,000-point margin in a month.

Misunderstood The public doesn’t understand why cases are rising if the lockdown was imposed to keep people in place and curb the spread of coronavirus. What the public also doesn’t understand is that even before the lockdown, thousands of people have travelled from and to the mentioned three locations.

Monday May 4 was a watershed for millions of Nigerians trapped in a lockdown against coronavirus pandemic. Once again, many would get the freedoms denied them for almost five weeks.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lokdown-lift-your-life-is-in-your-hands-literally.html